List of largest recorded music markets

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The world's largest recorded music markets are listed annually by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). The ranking is based on the retail value (rather than units) each market generates per year; retail value generated by each market varies from year to year. As all financial data is given in US dollars, annual rates of change for all countries other than the United States are heavily influenced by exchange rate fluctuations, as well as by actual changes in revenue in local currency terms.

Top 10 largest recorded music markets as of 2024

The information presented on this page only accounts for revenue generated from the recorded music industry (recorded music and auxiliary revenues generated by these recordings), and is not reflective of the entirety of the music industry, including sectors such as publishing, live music, etc.

The United States has remained the biggest market for recorded music in IFPI history, except in 2010 when Japan topped the list. Japan has always stayed within the top two, while the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada have consistently appeared among the top ten music markets throughout IFPI history. Other countries historically having appeared in the top ten include Australia, Italy, Brazil, South Korea, Spain, the Netherlands, China, Mexico, and Russia.

IFPI annual data

2020–2024

More information Country, Rank ...
List of the world's top-ten music markets during the first half of the 2020s
Country 2020[1] 2021[2] 2022[3] 2023[4] 2024[5] 2025[6]
Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value

($ million)

United States 1 Steady n/a 1 Steady n/a 1 Steady n/a 1 Steady n/a 1 Steady n/a 1 Steady n/a
Japan 2 Steady n/a 2 Steady n/a 2 Steady n/a 2 Steady n/a 2 Steady n/a 2 Steady n/a
United Kingdom 3 Steady n/a 3 Steady n/a 3 Steady n/a 3 Steady n/a 3 Steady n/a 3 Steady n/a
Germany 4 Steady n/a 4 Steady n/a 4 Steady n/a 4 Steady n/a 4 Steady n/a 5 Decrease n/a
France 5 Steady n/a 5 Steady n/a 6 Decrease n/a 6 Steady n/a 6 Steady n/a 6 Steady n/a
South Korea 6 Steady n/a 7 Decrease n/a 7 Steady n/a 7 Steady n/a 7 Steady n/a 7 Steady n/a
China 7 Steady n/a 6 Increase n/a 5 Increase n/a 5 Steady n/a 5 Steady n/a 4 Increase n/a
Canada 8 Steady n/a 8 Steady n/a 8 Steady n/a 8 Steady n/a 8 Steady n/a 8 Steady n/a
Australia 9 Steady n/a 9 Steady n/a 10 Decrease n/a 10 Steady n/a Out Out
Netherlands 10 Increase n/a Out Out Out Out Out
Italy Out 10 Increase n/a Out Out Out Out
Brazil Out Out 9 Increase n/a 9 Steady n/a 9 Steady n/a 9 Steady n/a
Mexico Out Out Out Out 10 Increase n/a 10 Steady n/a
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2015–2019

More information Country, Rank ...
List of the world's top-ten music markets during the second half of the 2010s
Country 2015[7] 2016[8] 2017[9] 2018[10] 2019[11][12]
Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)
United States 1 Steady 4,997.3 1 Steady 5,318.2 1 Steady 5,916.1 1 Steady n/a 1 Steady n/a
Japan 2 Steady 2,446.7 2 Steady 2,745.9 2 Steady 2,727.5 2 Steady n/a 2 Steady n/a
United Kingdom 3 Increase 1,354.0 3 Steady 1,251.1 4 Decrease 1,310.7 3 Increase n/a 3 Steady n/a
Germany 4 Decrease 1,309.9 4 Steady 1,212.0 3 Increase 1,323.1 4 Decrease n/a 4 Steady n/a
France 5 Steady 809.1 5 Steady 849.5 5 Steady 925.1 5 Steady n/a 5 Steady n/a
Australia 6 Steady 342.8 7 Decrease 357.2 8 Decrease 412.9 8 Steady n/a 9 Decrease n/a
Canada 7 Steady 335.8 6 Increase 367.9 7 Decrease 437.2 9 Decrease n/a 8 Increase n/a
South Korea 8 Steady 281.3 8 Steady 330.1 6 Increase 494.4 6 Steady n/a 6 Steady n/a
Italy 9 Increase 265.5 9 Steady 263.7 Out Out Out
Brazil 10 Decrease 247.0 Out 9 Increase 295.8 10 Decrease n/a 10 Steady n/a
Netherlands Out 10 Increase 243.3 Out Out Out
China Out Out 10 Increase 292.3 7 Increase n/a 7 Steady n/a
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2010–2014

More information Country, Rank ...
List of the world's top-ten music markets during the first half of the 2010s
Country 2010[13] 2011[14] 2012[14] 2013[15] 2014[16]
Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)
Japan 1 Increase 4,096.9 2 Decrease 4,087.7 2 Steady 4,422.0 2 Steady 3,012.0 2 Steady 2,627.9
United States 2 Decrease 3,635.2 1 Increase 4,372.9 1 Steady 4,481.8 1 Steady 4,473.5 1 Steady 4,898.3
Germany 3 Steady 1,713.6 3 Steady 1,473.7 4 Decrease 1,297.9 3 Increase 1,365.1 3 Steady 1,404.8
United Kingdom 4 Steady 1,388.1 4 Steady 1,433.7 3 Increase 1,325.8 4 Decrease 1,303.5 4 Steady 1,334.6
France 5 Steady 999.6 5 Steady 1,002.2 5 Steady 907.6 5 Steady 956.2 5 Steady 842.8
Australia 6 Steady 408 6 Steady 475.2 6 Steady 507.4 6 Steady 430.8 6 Steady 376.1
Canada 7 Steady 343.2 7 Steady 434.0 7 Steady 453.5 7 Steady 424.1 7 Steady 342.5
Italy 8 Increase 275.4 9 Decrease 239.9 9 Steady 217.5 8 Increase 238.8 10 Decrease 235.2
Netherlands 9 Decrease 270.2 8 Increase 240.2 10 Decrease 216.3 Out Out
Brazil 10 Increase 258.7 10 Steady 262.6 8 Increase 257.2 9 Decrease 227.9 9 Steady 246.5
South Korea Out Out Out 10 Increase 211.3 8 Increase 265.8
Close

2005–2009

In 2006, Russia entered the top ten for the first time, staying for three years, with the highest rank at number 9 in both 2007 and 2008.

More information Country, Rank ...
List of the world's top-ten music markets during the second half of the 2000s
Country 2005[17] 2006[18] 2007[19] 2008[20] 2009[21]
Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)
United States 1 Steady 11,195 1 Steady 9,651.4 1 Steady 7,985.6 1 Steady 5,977.4 1 Steady 4,562
Japan 2 Steady 4,883.5 2 Steady 4,495.2 2 Steady 4,174.5 2 Steady 5,171.1 2 Steady 4,244.5
United Kingdom 3 Steady 3,330.4 3 Steady 3,051.1 3 Steady 2,696.4 4 Decrease 2,274.9 4 Steady 1,730.5
Germany 4 Steady 2,146.4 4 Steady 2,029.1 4 Steady 2,142.2 3 Increase 2,370 3 Steady 1,945.8
France 5 Steady 1,940.3 5 Steady 1,661.7 5 Steady 1,471 5 Steady 1,342.5 5 Steady 1,157.5
Canada 6 Increase 708.3 6 Steady 667.8 7 Decrease 561.8 7 Steady 530 7 Steady 401.6
Italy 7 Increase 639.8 8 Decrease 556.9 8 Steady 493.3 8 Steady 427 9 Decrease 293.8
Australia 8 Decrease 637.7 7 Increase 583.6 6 Increase 564.8 6 Steady 555.3 6 Steady 456.2
Spain 9 Steady 547.1 9 Steady 464.8 Out 10 Increase 374.3 10 Steady 266.8
Netherlands 10 Steady 423.1 Out 10 Increase 385 Out 8 Increase 340.6
Russia Out 10 Increase 405 9 Increase 418.8 9 Steady 395.2 Out
Close

2000–2004

More information Country, Rank ...
List of the world's top-ten music markets during the first half of the 2000s
Country 2000[22] 2001[23] 2002[24] 2003[25] 2004[26]
Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)
United States 1 Steady 14,042.0 1 Steady 13,411 1 Steady 12,325.7 1 Steady 11,847.9 1 Steady 12,153.4
Japan 2 Steady 6,496.9 2 Steady 5,253 2 Steady 4,593.3 2 Steady 4,909.7 2 Steady 5,167.8
United Kingdom 3 Steady 2,828.7 3 Steady 2,808 3 Steady 2,859.4 3 Steady 3,215.7 3 Steady 3,508.7
Germany 4 Steady 2,420.6 4 Steady 2,128 5 Decrease 1,988.0 5 Steady 2,022.1 4 Increase 2,149
France 5 Steady 1,694.7 5 Steady 1,828 4 Increase 1,989.7 4 Steady 2,114.7 5 Decrease 1,979.3
Canada 6 Steady 819.3 6 Steady 659 6 Steady 587.9 6 Steady 676 7 Decrease 693.8
Brazil 7 Steady 724.7 Out Out Out Out
Mexico 8 Increase 665.9 8 Steady 565 10 Decrease 445.5 Out Out
Spain 9 Decrease 562.9 7 Increase 613 8 Decrease 542.3 9 Decrease 595.9 9 Steady 572.8
Australia 10 Decrease 561.3 10 Steady 522 9 Increase 499.9 7 Increase 673.8 6 Increase 716.7
Italy Out 9 Increase 524 7 Increase 554.7 8 Decrease 644.6 8 Steady 652.5
Netherlands Out Out Out 10 Increase 498.8 10 Steady 507.7
Close

1995–1999

This period saw an all-time peak of Brazil's music industry, reaching retail sales of $1.4 billion in 1996 (equivalent to $2.87 billion in 2025). In 1998, the UK surpassed Germany for the first time as the world's third largest music market.

More information Country, Rank ...
List of the world's top-ten music markets during the second half of the 1990s
Country 1995[27] 1996[28] 1997[29] 1998[30] 1999[31][32]
Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)
United States 1 Steady 12,100 1 Steady 12,300 1 Steady 11,906.0 1 Steady 13,193.4 1 Steady n/a
Japan 2 Steady 7,500 2 Steady 6,800 2 Steady 6,261.7 2 Steady 6,521.0 2 Steady n/a
Germany 3 Steady 3,200 3 Steady 3,200 3 Steady 2,836.8 4 Decrease 2,832.5 4 Steady n/a
United Kingdom 4 Steady 2,500 4 Steady 2,700 4 Steady 2,729.7 3 Increase 2,855.6 3 Steady n/a
France 5 Steady 2,300 5 Steady 2,300 5 Steady 2,199.5 5 Steady 2,134.8 5 Steady n/a
Brazil Unavailable 6 1,400 6 Steady 1,199.1 6 Steady 1,055.7 7 Decrease n/a
Canada 7 912 7 Steady 977.5 7 Steady 969.3 6 Increase n/a
Australia 8 815 8 Steady 739.1 9 Decrease 606.7 8 Increase n/a
Netherlands n/a 716.5 9 660 9 Steady 600.1 Out Out
Italy n/a 582.7 10 637 Out 10 Increase 597.7 Out
Spain n/a 557.3 Out 10 Increase 599.9 8 Increase 680.8 9 Decrease n/a
Mexico Unavailable Out Out Out 10 Increase n/a
Close

1990–1994

More information Country, Rank ...
List of the world's top-ten music markets during the first half of the 1990s
Country 1990[33] 1991 1992[34] 1993[35] 1994[36]
Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)		 Rank Value
($ million)
United States 1 7,541.1 Unavailable 1 8,866.6 1 Steady 9,833.1 1 Steady 11,836.9
Japan 2 2,981.8 2 4,328.5 2 Steady 5,082.4 2 Steady 5,933.4
Germany 3 2,273.9 3 2,636.9 3 Steady 2,690.7 3 Steady 2,876.5
United Kingdom 4 2,117.5 4 1,998.2 4 Steady 1,976.0 4 Steady 2,366.4
France 5 1,665.8 5 1,935.4 5 Steady 1,848.6 5 Steady 1,923.4
Canada Unavailable 6 861.7 6 Steady 896.8 6 Steady 975.0
Italy 7 653.8 Out Out
Netherlands 8 647.4 7 Increase 618.8 9 Decrease 629.4
Spain 9 586.7 10 Decrease 493.7 Out
Australia 10 492.4 9 Increase 545.6 10 Decrease 598.4
Mexico Out 8 Increase 572.8 8 Steady 673.1
Brazil Out Out 7 Increase 782.5
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Statistics

Major music markets in history
More information Country, Geographical region ...
List of countries by top 10 appearances (1990–2024)
Country Geographical
region		 Top 10 appearances
(number of years)		 Latest year
in the top 10		 Highest
rank
United States North America 34 2024 1
Japan Asia 34 2024 1
United Kingdom Europe 34 2024 3
Germany Europe 34 2024 3
France Europe 34 2024 4
Canada North America 32 2024 6
Australia Oceania 31 2023 6
Italy Europe 20 2021 7
Brazil South America 18 2024 6
Netherlands Europe 15 2020 7
Spain Europe 14 2009 7
South Korea Asia 12 2024 6
China Asia 8 2024 5
Mexico North America 7 2024 8
Russia Europe / Asia 3 2008 9
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See also

Record production portal

References

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